Polymer reinforcement for a clay pipe joint

Abstract

A polymer composition including a resin and a fiberglass is wrapped around the bell portion of a clay pipe to provide a cushion thereto to resist damage due to impact forces, and holds the bell in compression to thereby increase the tensile strength thereof. The length of the bell can be lengthened using a polyester-based material for an extension, where the extension is also wrapped with the polymer composition.

1. A pipe, comprising:
 a tubular member constructed of one of a clay material or a concrete material, said tubular member having a sidewall constructed of only said clay material or said concrete material and not including a metal sleeve throughout a length of said tubular member; 
 a bell structure attached to one end of said tubular member, where said bell structure is larger in diameter than said tubular member, said bell structure constructed of a material having a relatively low tensile strength as compared to its compressive strength, and said bell structure is characterized as being brittle, and said bell structure adapted for insertion therein of a spigot end of another similar pipe; 
 an impact absorbing material wrapped around an outside circumferential surface of said bell structure and integrally attached thereto, said impact absorbing material having a thickness adapted to cushion said bell structure and absorb impact forces during shipment of said pipe so that said bell structure is less likely to fracture; and 
 said impact absorbing material wrapped around said bell structure and not substantially along a length of said tubular member, and said impact absorbing material secured around said bell structure and not secured and sealed to the spigot end of the another pipe. 
 
     
     
       2. The pipe of  claim 1 , wherein said impact absorbing material is adapted for applying a compressive force to said bell structure. 
     
     
       3. The pipe of  claim 1 , wherein said impact absorbing material includes a strand of material having a high tensile strength embedded therein. 
     
     
       4. The pipe of  claim 1 , wherein said bell structure includes an annular face edge fabricated of said brittle material, and further including an extension attached to said face edge for extending a longitudinal length of said bell structure, said bell structure extension formed after said impact absorbing material is wrapped around said bell. 
     
     
       5. The pipe of  claim 4 , wherein said extension is constructed in part of a synthetic material bonded to the face edge of said bell structure. 
     
     
       6. The pipe of  claim 5 , wherein said impact absorbing material is wrapped around said extension, and is not attached to a spigot of a pipe inserted into said bell structure. 
     
     
       7. The pipe of  claim 5 , further including a molded band formed inside said bell structure for engagement therein of the spigot of another pipe, said band including a material resistant to shrinkage during curing, and said band being integral with said extension. 
     
     
       8. The pipe of  claim 1 , wherein said bell structure is constructed with a material that includes one of a clay material or a concrete material. 
     
     
       9. A pipe, comprising:
 a clay tubular member; 
 a clay bell attached to said tubular member, said clay bell having an annular receptacle adapted for mating with a spigot of another similar pipe; 
 a synthetic resin material applied around a circumference of said clay bell, said synthetic resin material of a type that hardens when cured; 
 a fiberglass material embedded within said synthetic resin material; 
 said fiberglass material embedded in said synthetic resin material comprising a cover around said clay bell to cushion said clay bell and provide protection thereto against impact damage, and said cover formed around said clay bell and not substantially along a length of said clay tubular member; and 
 an extension formed on an annular face edge of said clay bell to extend a length of said clay bell, said extension formed of a material different from said clay bell, and said extension including an annular entrance bevel to facilitate insertion of the spigot of the similar pipe therein, and said cover extending over said extension but not contacting the mated spigot of the similar pipe. 
 
     
     
       10. The pipe of  claim 9 , wherein said clay bell includes a transition portion joining said clay bell with said clay tubular member, wherein said synthetic resin material embedded fiberglass extends from said face edge and onto said transition portion. 
     
     
       11. The pipe of  claim 9 , wherein said synthetic resin material is adapted for shrinkage during curing to thereby place said clay bell in compression. 
     
     
       12. The pipe of  claim 9 , wherein said fiberglass material comprises a fiberglass mesh, and multiple layers of said fiberglass mesh are wrapped around said clay bell. 
     
     
       13. The pipe of  claim 9 , wherein said fiberglass material extends axially outwardly beyond a face edge of said clay bell. 
     
     
       14. A method of fabricating a pipe of a type having a bell structure, comprising:
 using a tubular pipe having a bell structure formed integral therewith, where said bell structure and said tubular pipe are each constructed of a material that includes one of a clay material or a concrete material, where the pipe has a sidewall uniformly constructed of said clay material or concrete material therethrough from an inside surface of said tubular pipe to an outside surfaced of said tubular pipe; 
 covering the bell structure of the pipe with mixture of a resin and at least one layer of a fiberglass material to provide said bell structure with a cushion using said resin and fiberglass covering so that said bell structure is less prone to damage due to impact forces; and 
 preventing a substantial length of said tubular pipe from being covered with said fiberglass layer. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further including using said resin and fiberglass covering to provide a compressive force to said bell structure to increase a tensile strength of said bell structure. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further including using said resin and fiberglass covering to extend an axial length of said bell structure. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , further including:
 forming an annular extension on said bell to effectively extend an axial length of said bell; 
 covering the annular bell extension with said resin and fiberglass material; and 
 forming an entrance bevel in said annular bell extension to facilitate insertion of a spigot end of a similar pipe into said annular bell extension. 
 
     
     
       18. A pipe, comprising:
 a tubular member constructed of one of a clay material or a concrete material, said tubular member having a sidewall constructed of only said clay material or said concrete material and not including a metal sleeve throughout a length of said tubular member; 
 a bell structure attached to one end of said tubular member, where said bell structure is larger in diameter than said tubular member, said bell structure constructed of a material having a relatively low tensile strength as compared to its compressive strength, and said bell structure is characterized as being brittle, and said bell structure adapted for insertion therein of a spigot end of another similar pipe; 
 an impact absorbing material comprises a fiberglass material embedded in a resin; 
 said impact absorbing material wrapped around an outside circumferential surface of said bell structure and integrally attached thereto, said impact absorbing material having a thickness adapted to cushion said bell structure and absorb impact forces so that said bell structure is less likely to fracture; and 
 said impact absorbing material wrapped around said bell structure and not substantially along a length of said tubular member. 
 
     
     
       19. The pipe of  claim 18 , wherein said fiberglass material comprises a mesh. 
     
     
       20. The pipe of  claim 19 , wherein said fiberglass mesh encircles said bell structure a plurality of times. 
     
     
       21. The pipe of  claim 20 , wherein said fiberglass mesh comprises an elongate strip of a fiberglass mesh wrapped around said bell structure a plurality of times. 
     
     
       22. The pipe of  claim 19 , wherein said fiberglass mesh includes fiberglass strands extending generally orthogonal to each other, with multiple layers of said fiberglass mesh wrapped around said bell structure, where the fiberglass strands of one layer are generally parallel to the corresponding strands of a neighbor layer of the fiberglass mesh.